Raven, Lion, and Wolf
by Horsetamer5
Summary: TOTAL AU: Oneshots detailing the lives of Thorin and his nephews as the adjust to their new life in Erebor. Will feature other characters. All characters belong to Tolkien
1. Chapter 1

It was extremely dark, and it made Kili nervous. The mountain kingdom of Erebor was massive and spacious, amplifying any and all sounds. Coupling that with the fact that he now had vivid flashbacks of the battle to reclaim the mountain assured that Kili barely slept.

So, with no other choice, Kili lay in his bed and sobbed quietly, so as not to wake his older brother.

Thorin was making his way to his own chambers when he heard the sound of quiet, distraught cries echoing off of the walls. Walking to the doorway of his nephews' room, he saw the silhouette of his youngest boy shaking.

"Kili," Thorin whispered, noticing his young nephew's obvious distress and making his way over to sit on the edge of the bed, "what's wrong, lad?"

"I-I can't sleep." Kili answered, "It's t-too dark. A-and I keep having bad dreams a-about the b-battle."

"It is very dark here, isn't it?" Thorin murmured, shifting to rest his back against the headboard before gently taking Kili into his arms.

"Much darker than it was back home," Kili murmured, reaching out and curling his fingers into his uncle's tunic.

Thorin gently stroked a hand over Kili's hair, wincing as he felt the distinct texture of blood on his hands, and heard Kili let out a pained whimper.

"Oh lad, you opened your stitches," Thorin sighed as he helped Kili to sit up. "Come, let's get you cleaned up, so we can both get some sleep."

Standing up, Thorin lifted his nephew into his arms and settled the boy on his hip before moving out into the hallway to assess the damage.

Thankfully, Kili had not ripped his stitches and the blood was only a result of a small cut on his scalp that had reopened. Soon, Thorin had the boy cleaned up and settled against his chest on the bed, along with his brother.


	2. Chapter 2

It was clear that Kíli was severely traumatized from his first real battle. The normally loud and exuberant teen had become a shell of his old self. He would only eat and go to bed when told to and he would sit where Thorin placed him for hours, just staring listlessly. The only thing that seemed to draw a reaction out of the boy was the absence of his uncle or brother. If either stepped out of his line of sight, Kíli would wail in despair until Thorin would come back and hold him; shushing him gently as if he were no more than a babe.

As such, Kíli would sit on his uncle's or brother's lap while Thorin conducted council meetings. Since the younger dwarf had yet to sleep through the night, he would often fall asleep. As a result, Thorin would sit on his throne long after the meetings, waiting until Kíli woke of his own volition.

Fíli on the other hand was dealing with the trauma in his usual way. Using humor as deflection tactic while also constantly keeping himself busy. To an outsider, the older teen seemed to be coping quite well.

Thorin knew better, however, as he spent many nights holding Fíli to his chest as the boy sobbed out all of his fear and anger.

"Kíli, Fíli is going outside this morning, don't you want to go with him?" Thorin asked, gently shifting his younger nephew on his lap.

"I am going hunting with Legolas and Tauriel," Fili said he reached out to take Kili from Thorin's arms. "Legolas told me that Tauriel has been wanting to go shooting with you. Don't you want to come see her?"

At the mention of the two elves, Kili perked up and squirmed out of his brother's arms, before bolting towards his room to grab his bow and arrows. Within minutes, he was back and tugging excitedly at Fili's hand.

"I'll take that as a yes," Fili chuckled as he stood up and hugged his uncle before moving to follow his brother. The two boys have barely made it to the entrance of the room before they were halted by a sharp "Ah!" from Thorin.

Both princes groaned before turning around.

"I have some rules for you two," Thorin announced. "You may stay with Legolas and Tauriel as long as you please today, but I need you inside at or before nightfall. Watch out for each other and for the love of Mahal, please do not pull any stunts. Fili, we don't need you breaking your foot again; and Kili, just because the two elves can and move through trees does not mean that you have to follow. Just be careful. And have fun."

Many hours later, laughter rang through the halls of the kingdom, signaling the boys' return and Thorin couldn't help but smile at their brief moment of bliss.

* * *

"Kíli, you have to eat," Thorin implored as he watched the teen pick at his food.

"Don't wanna," Kíli muttered. "Don't feel good."

Sighing, Thorin stood up and made his way over to his nephew before settling the boy on his lap.

"I'm not taking that answer anymore lad," Thorin scolded lightly as he took a spoonful of stew and held it up to Kíli's mouth. "Now I won't force you to eat all of this, but I need you to do more than pick at it. If you can eat half of your dinner, I'll be satisfied, and we can all go relax before bed."

Knowing that his usual deflection tactics would not work, Kíli reluctantly acquiesced and allowed his uncle to feed him.

* * *

Later that evening, Thorin smiled as he watched his nephews playfully tussle on the floor of the family's shared bedroom. The play fights had become a common occurrence around bedtime as the brothers had quickly figured out that they could delay their sleep and often times involve their guardian in their game. Such behavior would normally be considered unbecoming of the princes of Erebor, but Thorin was loathe to restrict his boys' childish antics after all that they had been through.

Tonight however, he was forced to cut playtime short as Fíli nearly ripped out Kíli's stitches in his roughhousing.

"That'll be quite enough my warriors," Thorin chuckled as he caught the boys up in arms. "Kíli is getting his stitches and staples removed tomorrow and I believe that Balin would greatly appreciate if he didn't have to the procedure earlier than planned. Also, you have both had an adventurous day, so it is time to settle into bed."

Soon, both teens were settled into the large bed. Fíli was already blinking slowly and his breathing was evening out but Kíli was having a harder time settling down. He let out tiny whimpers as he struggled to find a comfortable position.

Thorin moved to his nephew's side and gently drew the boy to lay against his side.

"Hush Kíli, your brother is almost asleep," Thorin whispered as he gently ran a hand through his boy's hair and down his back. Kíli's only response was to move closer and tangle his hand in his uncle's tunic.

Thorin smiled and began to sing a lullaby that never failed in lulling his hyperactive ward to sleep.

 _"The world was young, the mountains green,  
No stain yet on the Moon was seen,  
No words were laid on stream or stone  
When Durin woke and walked alone.  
He named the nameless hills and dells;  
He drank from yet untasted wells;  
He stooped and looked in Mirrormere,  
And saw a crown of stars appear,  
As gems upon a silver thread,  
Above the shadows of his head.  
The world was fair, the mountains tall,  
In Elder Days before the fall  
Of mighty kings in Nargothrond  
And Gondolin, who now beyond  
The Western Seas have passed away:  
The world was fair in Durin's Day.  
A king he was on carven throne  
In many-pillared halls of stone  
With golden roof and silver floor,  
And runes of power upon the door.  
The light of sun and star and moon  
In shining lamps of crystal hewn  
Undimmed by cloud or shade of night  
There shone for ever fair and bright.  
There hammer on the anvil smote,  
There chisel clove, and graver wrote;  
There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;  
The delver mined, the mason built.  
There beryl, pearl, and opal pale,  
And metal wrought like fishes' mail,  
Buckler and corslet, axe and sword,  
And shining spears were laid in hoard.  
Unwearied then were Durin's folk;  
Beneath the mountains music woke:  
The harpers harped, the minstrels sang,  
And at the gates the trumpets rang.  
The world is grey, the mountains old,  
The forge's fire is ashen-cold;  
No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:  
The darkness dwells in Durin's halls;  
The shadow lies upon his tomb  
In Moria, in Khazad-dûm.  
But still the sunken stars appear  
In dark and windless Mirrormere;  
There lies his crown in water deep,  
Till Durin wakes again from sleep."_

As he finished the song, Thorin pressed a kiss to his nephews' forheads before quietly making his way back into the common area.

A/N: The song is titled _Song of Durin_ and was written by Tolkien.


	3. Chapter 3

Thorin sighed tiredly as he signed yet another council report. It was late, and he had just finished getting his two nephews settled down to sleep. As such, he finally had some time to himself before he too retired.

As he finally finished his work, Thorin realized that his quarters were surprisingly quiet. Usually, at this time, either Fili or Kili woke screaming as a result of a nightmare. For that reason, the boys had been sharing their Uncle's quarters so Thorin could be nearby and come to their aid.

As he entered the bedroom, Thorin felt his heart warm with love at the sight of his nephews.

Fili was laying on his back, his breathing even, looking completely at peace with his chin resting atop his little brother's head.

Kili was curled against his brother's side, his thumb firmly lodged in his mouth, something Thorin had not seen since the boy grew into his teens.

As he prepared to retire, Thorin kept his movements slow and quiet so as not to wake the boys. However, he was only partially successful as he soon heard a tiny voice whisper his name.

Turning, he saw that Fili was awake and staring at him with wide, childlike eyes.

Thorin gave the boy a small smile as he stroked Fíli's hair, uttering a soft, soothing command of "sleep."

"Stay," Fíli begged, "can't sleep unless you stay,"

"Alright, little lion," Thorin murmured, lifting Fili into his arms and making his way over to an armchair by the hearth. Settling the boy across his lap, Thorin gently began to rock the boy back to sleep. Soon, Fili was asleep next to his brother again and Thorin was left awake to ponder. His heart was heavy, and he was suddenly compelled to do something that he had not done since the fall of Erebor. He dropped to his knees and began to pray.

"Please Mahal, give me the strength and wisdom to do right by these two gentle souls."


	4. Chapter 4

_"No I won't run! Ada, I will fight with you!" Legolas argued._

 _"No, my son," Thranduil said as he grabbed Legolas about the shoulders and pulled his son to him._

 _"The two dwarf princes are hurt. I need you to take them, along with your sister and I need you to **run!** Get as far away from here as possible. Thorin, Elros, or myself will come and find you when it is safe. You have fought admirably today but now you must let your elders finish the battle."_

 _"Yes, Ada," Legolas conceded._

 _"Good man," Thranduil murmured as he kissed his son's head before detaching from the embrace. "Now, **run!** "_

 _Now, Legolas huddled in an enclave created by some fallen masonry, with Kíli in his lap, Tauriel curled against his left side, and Fíli against his right,_

 _"Kíli, I need you to look at me," Tauriel murmured, as Legolas haphazardly bandaged the young prince's head wound._

 _"So tired," Kíli whimpered._

 _"I know brother, but you need keep talking," Fíli ordered from Legolas' other side. "The battle is winding down. Someone will be here soon. I promise."_

 _Legolas nodded in agreement as he was hit with a wall of exhaustion. He let out a pained sigh and gathered his three charges closer to him as he closed his eyes._

 _They flew open again moments later as the sound of crunching ice reached his ears. He almost cried in relief as he saw his father and older brother make their way towards him. Followed by Thorin._

 _Fíli was the first to react, squirming out of Legolas' grip with a jubilant shout of "Da!"_

 _The teen tried to climb to his feet, but he let out an agonized cry as his dislocated hip and broken leg were shifted._

 _Thorin was at their side in an instant, lifting both of his boys into his arms as he sobbed in relief. Thranduil and Elros were quick to do the same with their kin._

 _"My boys," Thorin sobbed in relief as he held them close to his chest. "Oh my sweet boys! Thank Durin, that you are alive!"_

 _The brothers just sobbed in response and Thorin was quick to try and soothe them._

 _"It's alright my sons," he murmured, gently rocking the teens as if they were no more than dwarflings. Da is here, your da his here and Mahal be damned if I ever part from you again. Now what do you say that we go home, aye?"_

 _Without waiting for a reply, Thorin stood up and hefted Fíli onto one hip, shushing him as he cried out, before taking Kíli's hand and walking over to Thranduil._

 _The elf king was dealing with a similar predicament as Legolas was sobbing in his embrace. The young warrior was hysterical, his sobs morphing into violent coughs, Tauriel seemed to be in complete shock, staring blankly ahead from her place in Elros' arms as the elven warrior rocked her._

 _"Hush now my son," Thranduil soothed as he patted Legolas' back. "It's over, no more tears my child."_

 _Thorin reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a sedative that Balin has given him in the event that one of the boys should need it._

 _"Here, my friend, you need this more than we do," he said as he handed it to Thranduil. There is enough in there for all three of your children to take should they need it. Your children kept my boys safe in the heat of battle. This is the least that I can do, along with the offer of medical treatment in Erebor should you require it."_

 _With that, Thorin adjusted his hold on his two boys and began to make his way back toward the rest of his kin._

 _Kíli squealed and struggled in Thorin's arms as Balin scrubbed the wound on his head with iodine._

 _"I'm so sorry lad. This wound is much deeper than I first suspected," the healer apologized as Kili sobbed._

 _Turning to Thorin he murmured quietly, "I'm afraid that we're going to have to staple it shut."_

 _"You have my permission to do whatever is necessary to heal him," Thorin responded._

 _"His hair has become matted in the wound," Balin groaned. "I can't begin to close this until we get it fully cleaned. Thorin, I am so sorry, but we have to cut his hair."_

 _At this pronouncement, Kíli jerked back to lucidity and he began to struggle with a new fervor. He kicked and wailed, even going so far as to sink his teeth into his uncle's hand to try and escape._

 _"No! No! I don't want it! You can't cut my hair! No! No! No!" Kíli bellowed, arching his back before throwing his arm back and nailing Thorin solidly in the jaw. Thorin instinctively let go of the boy and Kíli fell to the ground._

 _Thorin let out a stream of Khuzdul curses as he reached to grab his escaping nephew. With a grunt, Thorin hauled the teen back onto his lap. This time, Thorin sat Kíli so that the boy was facing him. Gently he wrapped an arm around Kíli's back and bent his arms to his chest to contain his struggling._

 _"I'm so sorry child," Thorin murmured, his voice breaking. "This must be done. I promise we will make this as quick and painless as possible."_

 _Kíli wailed in despair as Balin began to cut the hair away from the wound. Nothing Thorin said or did could calm the boy and it soon became clear that Kíli was going to hurt himself more if he continued to work himself up into such a state._

 _Balin stopped what he was doing and reached over to grab a small cup filled with Valerian._

 _"Here, get him to drink this," he instructed Thorin. "Make sure he drinks all of it. I need him calm to be able to finish treating this wound._

 _Without a word, Thorin gently brought the cup to Kíli's lips. The boy struggled minutely, before finally giving up. Although, Thorin still had to rub his throat to make sure he actually swallowed the mixture._

 _Within minutes, Thorin could feel the boy go slack in his arms and he nodded at Balin to continue. Once the wound was finally cleaned, Thorin breathed a sigh of relief, only to have it catch in his throat as he saw what Balin would be using to close the wound._

 _It was a mechanism that was used in the mines to build chests for storing gold and gems. The handheld machine used compressed air to force iron staples through wood. Thorin had heard of it being used to seal only the most grievous of wounds._

 _"I'm sorry Thorin but this is the only way," Balin explained, sadly. "Given the size and location of the wound, I fear traditional sutures would tear and cause your lad even more pain. I can understand if you would rather step out for this part, I know it is not a pleasant sight."_

 _"I'll stay," Thorin responded. "I have seen many battle wounds and Kíli needs me now more than ever. They both do."_

 _Balin nodded as he picked up the staple gun, checking to make sure that Kíli was still unconscious before pulling the trigger._

 _Ten minutes and over 70 staples later, the procedure was finally done and Kíli was beginning to stir. The poor boy had a line of staples stretching from the back of his skull to just over his left eye. Balin had ultimately decided that it would be better to fully close the wound in order to eliminate the risk of infection._

 _However, the ruling family's ordeal was not over yet. Just as Thorin was getting Kíli settled down for a nap, a loud crash and scream rang out across the healing room._

 _The king turned just in time to see his oldest boy arch his back and attempt to rip his leg out of Oin's grip._

 _Thorin moved to assist the healer by lifting Fíli and latching his arms about the teen's chest, holding Fíli still as Oin poured a sedation mixture down his throat, He began to whisper a soothing litany of Khuzdul words into the boy's ear, encouraging the boy to relax and close his eyes._

 _Once he was sure that his nephew was out, Thorin signaled Oin that it was safe to proceed. The healer silently took a firm grip of Fíli's leg, bent it, and pushed it toward the prince's chest as hard as he could. There was a pop as the joint slid back into place and Thorin relaxed as the healer set about putting Fíli's leg in a brace._

 _"I can't thank you and Balin enough for taking care of my boys," Thorin said to Oin as he placed Fíli next to his brother._

 _Oin dipped his head in acknowledgment. "It was is my honor. You should be able to take them to your chambers once they wake up."_

 _Thorin sat down and watched his boys sleep._

 _"Yes," he thought, "We will be alright."_


	5. Chapter 5

"Shh, shh, Kíli," Thorin hushed as he rocked his distraught nephew. "I'm here little cub, I'm here"

"Y-yu-you l-left meeeeeeee!" Kili wailed as he clung to his surrogate father with a death grip.

"I just went to get some coffee, I was gone but a moment. I came back just like I promised." Thorin soothed.

He had prepared for today to be a particularly difficult one for Kíli. The younger prince had only slept for about four hours in total last night. Furthermore, those hours had not been consistent by any means. Kíli was only able to sleep in half-hour spurts at most. As a result, Thorin and Fíli slept in shifts so that someone was awake to keep an eye on Kíli. Since Fíli had taken the last shift before morning, Thorin ordered his older nephew to spend the day resting, assuring him that he would handle Kíli.

The resulting lack of sleep caused Kíli to be especially clingy and temperamental. It was barely mid-morning, and this had been the boy's third tantrum. If he continued in this pattern, he would be sick before the evening meal.

Suddenly an idea came to Thorin and he stood up, settling Kili on his hip. The sudden change in position caused the boy to cease his wailing.

"W-where're we going?" Kili asked, his voice rough from his crying jag

"Outside," Thorin said, "I haven't been out of Erebor since we reclaimed the mountain. I think going for a ride will do us both a world of good. Does that sound okay?"

"Mmhm," Kíli agreed quietly, resting his head on his uncle's shoulder, his thumb finding its way into his mouth.

On their recent visit to Rivendell to get advice on Kíli's newfound eating disorder, Thorin had been advised by Lord Elrond that he should be attempting to break this habit of Kíli's. Elrond had expressed that while he should be encouraging self-soothing behaviors, Thorin should be giving Kíli something else to put in his mouth when he felt the urge to chew. However, it was so difficult for his nephew to find comfort these days that Thorin didn't have the heart to deal with the issue just yet.

 _"At least we have found a solution to get Kíli to eat_." Thorin thought. During that visit, Elrond had given Thorin amazingly simple advice to get Kíli to eat and the teen had made great strides in their weeklong stay.

Kíli was first diagnosed with Refeeding Syndrome. A common ailment of traumatized children and prisoners of war. Thorin almost cried when Elrond told him. They finally had an answer!

It was also fortunate that the treatment was relatively simple. They started by giving Kíli broth with different herbs and vegetables in it as a way of reintroducing nutrients into his system. They coupled this with a tincture of herbs that encouraged the boy's appetite while also alleviating nausea that initially came with eating consistent meals. However, there were still days like today where Kíli couldn't seem to keep anything down. On days like this, he was given a liquid nutritional supplement. The was steadily putting on weight and soon he would be too heavy for Thorin to carry. I guess I have to enjoy it while I can. Thorin thought to himself as he made his way to the gate, nodding at the saluting guards as he passed.

They soon arrived at the stables and it became clear that Kíli would not be letting go of his uncle anytime soon. Thorin gently lifted his adoptive son onto the back of the pony shushing Kíli as he whimpered at the loss of warmth; before climbing up himself.

* * *

Thorin smiled to himself as he watched Kíli hesitantly lean and reach into the water before letting out a surprised sound at the frigid temperature.

"Careful lad," Thorin called as he watched the boy perch himself precariously over the edge of the stream. A moment later, Kíli came jogging over and presented a smooth stone to Thorin with a contented sound.

"It's beautiful, son," Thorin murmured as he took the stone into his hand. "If you want, we could take it back to Dwalin and he could carve it into a rune stone."

Kíli hummed in agreement as he settled his head on his uncle's chest and closed his eyes.

"Not so fast little one," Thorin said as he gently roused the boy. "You need to eat and then you can take a nap." Reaching into his bag, Thorin pulled out a bottle containing a liquid meal and held it to Kíli's mouth, gently gripping his chin as the boy tried to turn away.

"I need you to at least drink a bit of this Kíli," Thorin commanded gently, "You need something in your belly. If you truly cannot keep it down, I will not force you but I at least want to see you try."

Kíli nodded in ascent and allowed his uncle to help him drink as his own hands were shaking from exhaustion.

Not long after, the young man was curled up at his uncle's side, having managed to finish all of his meal and take his medicine. It was only half past noon, but it seemed their small adventure had exhausted the boy as he had fallen into a deep sleep. Thorin leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes.

Content in the fact that for now, everything was right with the world.

* * *

All was quiet in the throne room of Erebor. Thorin and Kíli had returned to the palace and the teen was currently napping in his room. Thorin was taking advantage of the quiet to catch up on some council reports. He was just signing the last report when a knock echoed off the door.

"Come!" he called, looking up to see Dwalin enter with Fíli at his side.

"The lad came wandering down into the forge in a trance," the warrior explained as Thorin gently took Fíli from him. "Heard that you returned and thought it would be safest to bring him to you."

"Thank you, my friend," Thorin responded as Dwalin took his leave.

As he got a closer look at the boy, Thorin could clearly see that Fíli was disassociating, his eyes were glassy, and he was rocking slightly from side to side as he stared at the wall behind his uncle.

With a sigh, Thorin gently guided his oldest son to sit on his lap. Elrond has advised him that when Fíli slipped into this state, the best course of action was to hold him until he re-entered the world of his own accord. Every so often, the teen would twitch and whimper in his uncle's arms, shattering Thorin's hopes that Fíli had retreated to a place of peace.

No one would ever know what had truly happened in the short time that Fíli was in Azog's captivity. The boy's injuries only told a portion of the story and even then, it was difficult to distinguish what had been inflicted on the prince before the orc had pitched him from the rampart.

"Oh, my boy," Thorin murmured, "how I wish that I could know what you endured. If only to help ease your pain."

Fíli's only response was to latch onto his uncle's tunic and sigh.

It was at least an hour before Fíli stirred from his daze, blinking slowly as he registered his surroundings. He tipped his head and was met with a gentle smile from his uncle.

"Hello there Uzfakuh (my greatest joy)," Thorin greeted quietly as he kissed the top of Fíli's head. "You are safe, my child," he assured as the boy looked around the room, clearly trying to shake away the remnants of his trance.

"Now why don't you drink some water, then you and I can take a walk. We need to get you walking on that ankle. We also need to wake up your brother or none of us will be getting any sleep tonight."

"O-okay," Fíli agreed, his voice rough.

Content with his nephew's agreement, Thorin gently moved the teen off of his lap and knelt down to set about adjusting the brace that encased the boy's right ankle.

He unbuckled the mechanism to set it at on the correct area of Fíli's leg.

However, when he moved to re-buckle the contraption, Fíli let out a pained squeal and pulled his leg away.

"What is it, dear one?" Thorin asked, standing up and embracing the boy as he let out sharp, pained breaths.

"H-hurts," Fíli admitted. "Pinches bad." He flinched as Thorin sat down again and lifted his nephew's leg in order to inspect the damage. In the light of the throne room, Thorin could clearly see viscous, red streaks that ran the length of Fíli's lower leg and ankle. Some were fading into white lines but many of the wounds were inflamed and weeping blood. It was apparent that the brace was not adequately padded as the joints of it were pinching the teen's leg whenever he walked.

"My boy! No wonder you haven't been wanting to walk!" Thorin gasped. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since it got fitted and I was allowed to bear weight on it," came Fíli's quiet admission. "It didn't hurt at first, honest! But after a few days, it started pinching me."

"Inùdoy, you should have told me," Thorin admonished, kissing the top of his oldest boy's head to take away any heat from his words.

"I didn't wanna seem weak," Fíli answered softly.

"You are not weak, my boy," Thorin assured. "Now, what do you say that I send for Balin and we can get you all fixed up?"

Fíli just smiled in response before reaching his arms out in a demand to be held.

Thorin was happy to oblige.

Within the hour, Balin had cleaned Fíli's wounds and put more padding in the brace so to prevent irritation. He left a jar of salve with Thorin along with instructions that he should apply it to Fíli's wounds twice a day for the next week.

Now, Thorin and Fíli were walking slowly down the halls of Erebor to their family's personal chambers in order to wake Kíli for dinner.

"I was going to wait until we woke your brother, but I thought it best to tell you first," Thorin said as he wrapped an arm around Fíli's shoulder. "I have been called to a meeting in the Blue Mountains that will commence in a month. I will be leaving in two days' time and I was wondering if you two would like to come with me."

Fíli nodded enthusiastically, hopping in place on his toes as he was prone to do when excited.

"I thought as much," Thorin chuckled as he gently hugged his eldest son to his chest to calm him.

"However, I will first have to meet with some of our kin in Dunland. I don't feel very comfortable taking you boys there. As such, I sent a letter to Master Baggins asking if you two could stay with him in the Shire for a few days while I attend this meeting. He responded saying he would be honored to have you, boys. The plan would be for you boy to spend three nights with him and then for me to collect you on the way to Ered Luin. Does that sound agreeable?"

Fíli only hugged his Uncle tighter in response.

"Just us three?" he asked, hiding his face against Thorin's shoulder.

"Aye lad," Thorin murmured, kissing his son's temple. "Just us three."


	6. Chapter 6

_Four days later_

"Do I even want to know?" Thorin questioned sarcastically as his two sons entered their guest quarters in Rivendell. They were soaking wet, covered in dirt, with small cuts and bruises marring their faces.

"Well, we were bored so we went exploring," Fíli began, clearly trying not to laugh. "We met up with Lord Elrond's sons and they took us down to the practice fields. Elrohir challenged Kíli to a shooting contest and it sort of got a little heated…"

"Go on," Thorin commanded as he pinched the bridge of his nose, he could easily tell where this tale was leading.

"I may or may not have climbed onto one of the lower tree branches and tried to shoot from there," Kíli explained. "Elrohir jumped on the same branch and knocked me off but I managed to grab him and pull him into the river. We ended up wrestling and then Elladan joined in."

"And I suppose you just _had_ to help your brother?" Thorin asked his eldest, in mock sternness.

Fíli nodded before breaking out in laughter.

"I guess I can only take heart in the fact that Lord Elrond's twins were complicit in this mischief," Thorin sighed. "Now go on and get cleaned up and into your sleep clothes. We must leave early and I will have your boys well rested before we depart."

* * *

A short while later, Thorin was settled on the large bed with the princes on either side of him. He was struck yet again with how young his adopted sons truly were. In public, they bore themselves with a bearing that was fitting of the future rulers of Erebor, but in private around their adopted father, they revealed their youth and innocence. Ever since the reclamation of their kingdom, the boys took advantage of any opportunity to be in physical contact with their Da. Thorin never failed to indulge them, particularly at bedtime when they insisted on being held and being lulled to sleep with songs, poems, or stories.

True to their normal routine, the boys were fast asleep after one story and Thorin followed close behind.

A hard punch to the gut violently awakened Thorin and he sat up to see Fíli thrashing violently in his sleep. Kíli was awake and staring in shock from his uncle's other side as his older brother began to scream.

"No! Mother, don't leave me!" the blond-haired prince wailed, tears streaming down his face. "Mother's dead! She's dead!"

Thorin lifted the boy into his lap, quickly restraining his arms as the lad bucked and thrashed in his hold.

"Fíli, calm down. It's just a dream, son. Just a dream. All is well, your Da and brother are here. Come back to us now."

Thorin continued to murmur the assurances as he reached out and drew Kíli against his side, rocking both teens in his arms as he waited for Fíli to come around. He knew that Fíli's dream had triggered his brother's memory of the day that their mother, Dís had committed suicide. The day that both boys had been adopted by their Uncle.

Fíli had found his mother dead and the passage of time could never erase those images from his head.

However, it had been years since either of the princes had night terrors about that day. It appeared that the impending separation from their uncle; no matter how short that separation would be; had awakened some deep terror within Fíli. The terror of losing a father for a second time.

Minutes later, Fíli's violent struggling ceased and he blinked his eyes open. His chest was still hitching with sobs but he was much calmer.

Noticing that his son was awake, Thorin moved to gently cover Fíli's eyes; a tactic that he used to calm the boy by controlling the amount of sensory input that he took in as he came back to himself.

"There we go," he soothed as Fíli began to breathe normally. "Are you back with us, my lion?

The eldest prince nodded and Thorin removed his hand and shifted it to rest on Fíli's back.

A sense of peace settled over the room. Kíli had quickly drifted back to sleep after many firm assurances from his father and brother that everything was alright.

Fíli was quickly nodding off with his head resting against Thorin's chest. His uncle's steady heartbeat lulling him to the verge of sleep. However, the lad was still having trouble fully drifting off and Thorin would not rest until he helped is eldest find better dreams.

"Sleep Fíli," Thorin murmured under his breath as he gently rubbed the teen's forehead with his thumb. "There now, shh. That's a good lad," he praised as Fíli finally closed his eyes and allowed his breathing to settle.

Once he was sure that both boys were truly asleep, Thorin finally allowed himself to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Fíli stood slightly behind his father as Thorin knocked on the door to Mister Baggins' home. Kíli, who had a death grip on his father's hand, let out a squeak as the door opened and bolted into his older brother's embrace.

Fíli rocked his brother slightly as they watched Thorin and Bilbo greet and joyfully embrace.

"Boys, come and say hello," Thorin beckoned with a gentle smile.

"Hello boys," Bilbo said as the princes came closer. "I'm so glad to see you two!"

That seemed to break the teen's' pretense of shyness, and they both rushed to hug the hobbit.

"I'll have to be heading out soon if I am to reach Bree before nightfall," Thorin lamented quietly as he sat in the living area with Bilbo and watched his boys play a game of chess.

"The boys have been up since before dawn so they should sleep well tonight. However, if they have trouble settling down, give them each a few drops of this," he explained as he handed Bilbo a vial of clear liquid. "It is concentrated valerian root. I usually mix the drops into a mug of hot milk and honey to mask the taste. They are guaranteed to sleep through the night with this."

"Thank you for the advice," Bilbo responded.

Thorin made his way over to his two sons and gave them both a hug and kiss on the forehead.

"I have to leave you now, my sons," he murmured, patting both boys on the back as they clung to him with an iron grip. "I will see you in three days, I expect you to behave for Master Baggins. I love you both so much my dear ones."

With one last kiss to each of his sons' heads and a grateful handshake with Bilbo, Thorin was gone.

The rest of the day passed without incident, and soon the two princes were settled In the guest room. They both drifted off to sleep relatively quickly after many promises of adventures in the woods tomorrow and Bilbo settled into his favorite armchair by the fireplace with a book and some tea. A couple of hours passed without incident, and Bilbo was preparing to retire himself when a small whimper drew him out of his musings. He looked up to see Kíli standing in the living room doorway, they teen had a blanket wrapped around him, and he rubbed at his tear stained eyes with a closed fist, all in all, he looked positively innocent and terrified.

"Hi there, Kíli, what has you up at this hour?" Bilbo inquired gently, guiding the trembling youth to sit next to the fire.

"I had a bad dream, and I just miss my Da!" Kíli admitted, a new set of tears streaming down his face. "I h-haven't ever slept away from him. H-he's always been with me."

"I see," Bilbo responded. "It must be a bit scary sleeping in a strange place without your Da here, huh?"

Kíli nodded.

"It's only for two more nights," Bilbo assured as he drew Kíli to rest against his shoulder. "You have your brother and me here with you. Tomorrow we will go into the woods and explore, and maybe the next day, we'll go to the lake if the weather holds up. Before you know it, your Da will be back."

"I'm scared Da will get hurt," Kíli admitted. "Like at the battle."

"You're Da can take care of himself. He has proved that on one more than one occasion" Bilbo soothed. "Now, I can bet that he is just as worried for your well being as you are for his, so what do you say that we get you settled back into bed? You'll need all of your energy about you for our adventure tomorrow."

Kíli nodded in agreement, taking Bilbo's offered hand and allowing himself to be led back to his bedroom. Bilbo peeked in and caught sight of Fíli, the blond-haired prince was still asleep, his hands tucked under his chin and his features soft.

Bilbo helped Kíli to climb back in the bed, and as if sending his brother's renewed presence, Fíli turned over and embraced Kíli.

Bilbo was turning to leave the room when Kíli's hand shot out to grab his own.

"Stay?" the dwarven prince inquired, his eyes wide and full of childish innocence. "Just 'till I fall asleep?"

Bilbo nodded with a smile, sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking Kíli's hair in a soothing rhythm until the prince's eyes closed and his breathing evened out as he drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: A commenter asked how old Fíli and Kíli are in this fic. Here are their ages in this AU:**

 **Fíli: 15 (human) years old**

 **Kíli: 13 (human) years old**

 **See the end for Khuzdul translations.**

Thorin Oakenshield sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ward off an impending headache. It had been a stressful morning; he had just concluded a meeting with dwarf lords from five out of the seven kingdoms. It had been contentious, to say the least. On more than one occasion, the other lords made barbed comments about Thorin's ability to rule as King Under the Mountain. Thorin took no issue with their slights; in all honesty, he didn't give a damn for their opinions of him. However, when the other rulers turned their insults onto the characters of his sons, Thorin was hard pressed to tamp down his rage. After five long hours, the meeting was over, and Thorin was left in the empty throne room to ponder.

He was drawn out of his brooding by the sound of familiar footsteps pounding down the hallway before the doors to the throne room were thrown open, and Kíli bounded into his father's arms.

"Why hello there, my wild pup," Thorin greeted affectionately as he hoisted his youngest onto his lap, one hand resting on Kíli's back and the other under his backside to prevent the teen from falling backward off of the raised throne. "What brings you to me today? Do you need something?" he asked.

Kíli nodded,

"What do you need, my heart?" Thorin pressed in a reassuring voice.

"Jus' cuddles," Kíli responded, pressing his face in the crook between his father's neck and shoulder.

"I think we can manage that," Thorin said, kissing the boy's exposed temple.

They sat for a long while, Thorin's cheek resting atop his youngest's hair as he rocked them from side to side and murmured soothing nonsense to the boy nestled in his royal cloak.

Kíli was blinking slowly, a combination of exhaustion and total security pulling him towards sleep.

They sat in silence for a long while, Thorin gently combing a hand through Kíli's hair as the boy slept. Occasionally, the boy would twitch and moan in his sleep, features tensing as he battled some unseen terror.

"Shh kurkarukê," Thorin soothed as Kíli let out a low keen and blinked his eyes open. "All is well; you just had a battle memory; you are safe."

When it became clear that Kíli wouldn't fall back to sleep, Thorin gently adjusted the teen in his arms so that they could see eye to eye.

"What do you say we go find your brother and get some supper?" he suggested.

Kíli nodded, climbing off of his father's lap and taking his offered hand.

When they entered their quarters, Thorin grabbed a book that he was reading from the table before he settled on the couch and Kíli to lay down with his head on his father's lap. Thorin began to read aloud, and within minutes, his youngest was fast asleep again.

After reading for a while, Thorin found his eyelids growing heavier, and he soon put the book down before leaning back and closing his eyes.

He was just about to drift off when the sound of the bedroom door opening startled him and he looked up to see Fíli standing in the doorway. The teen's eyes were glassy, and he was trembling. These were all signs that he had just awoken from a violent nightmare.

"Hey, there, son," Thorin greeted softly so as not to startle the boy. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Fíli shook his head before silently moving to mimic his brother and rest his head on his father's lap.

"You just wanted to be out here with us, didn't you? Couldn't stand that your brother was getting all of the attention" Thorin asked teasingly. When that didn't get even a slight chuckle out of the teen, Thorin frowned in concern.

"Kidhuzurâl, what is troubling you so?" Thorin asked. "Come now, my son, you can tell me," he encouraged.

"Do you think that I'm fit to be your heir?" Fíli asked, hesitantly.

"Of course you are!" Thorin declared, "What in all of Middle Earth would make you think otherwise?"

"I h-heard s-some of the other dwarf lords when I walked by the meeting room. T-they think that I'm too weak and childish to ever succeed you," Fíli admitted.

"Oh my dear boy," Thorin murmured, gently combing his fingers through the teen's golden locks. "If you had heard the rest of the conversation, you would have heard me tell of your bravery, prowess, and sacrifice, as well as your brother's, at the battle of Ravenhill. I told them that there are no two dwarves that I would rather have to succeed me then you two."

"R-really?" Fíli asked.

"Really," Thorin confirmed. "Your compassion and nobility rival that of any of the seven dwarf lords. However, you and your brother have been through great trauma; there is no shame in giving yourself time to recover and needing assistance to do so. Speaking of which, I want you to close your eyes and try to sleep young one."

"Men lananubukhs me, Adad," Fíli murmured, obeying his father's command. He reached one hand out to intertwine with his brother's and the other to grasp his father's.

"I love you as well, my precious son," Thorin whispered so as not to disturb either of the sleeping children on his lap. "I love you both so very much."

 **Translations from welcome/**

"kurkarukê": my tiny raven

"Kidhuzurâl": golden one

"Men lananubukhs me": I love you

"Adad: Father"


End file.
